Consumers today are demanding options in health care that include complementary and alternative therapies. Today, as people opt to combine the best of western biomedicine and complementary therapies, a new field has emerged called integrative health or integrative medicine.

Mission: The University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality & Healing enriches health and well-being by providing exemplary interdisciplinary education, conducting rigorous research, and delivering innovative outreach programs that advance integrative health and healing.

Generating new Knowledge through Research: • The Center has been designated by the NIH as a Developmental Center for Research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine. • Fifty faculty – drawn from over 12 academic units across the University – have appointments within the Center. Areas of research include mind/body interventions, natural products (herbs, mushrooms and essential oils), music and healing, health coaching, and health outcomes of integrative care in a residential eating disorder program.

Educating Health Professionals: • Through the efforts of the Center, students in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine and public health now study integrative medicine as part of their curricula. This will have a significant impact on the future of healthcare as the University of Minnesota prepares 70 percent of health professionals in the state. • The Center’s website offers on-line modules on integrative health topics that are widely accessed by health systems and universities worldwide. These modules were developed with funding from a five-year NIH grant. • The Center offers a graduate minor and a graduate certificate program that attract students from diverse disciplines including health sciences, business, law, music, architecture and design, counseling, food science and nutrition, and psychology. Of the more than 45 courses offered, students can self-design programs focusing on topics including mind/body healing, spirituality, culturally-based healing traditions, and energy medicine.

Empowering Consumers: • Programs, workshops, and lectures focus on helping consumers “Take Charge of Their Health.” Our consumer website, created by nationally recognized healthcare experts, invites visitors to explore complementary therapies, create a healthy lifestyle, and learn how to navigate the health care system. • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs are offered by the Center on the U of M campus, in corporate settings, and in partnership with other local facilities. • Center faculty are at the forefront of engaging legislators and health care leaders to champion the importance of increasing access to integrative services. The Center faculty and staff hosted a hearing for the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, contributed to the Institute of Medicine’s Complementary and Alternative Medicine Panel, and have testified at state and national legislative hearings. • The Center provides consultation services to hospitals and health systems, helping them explore new ways to deliver integrative care. • The Center has forged extensive partnerships and collaborations within multiple communities – providing speakers for local, national, and international conferences while educating the broader community through lecture series, workshop experiences, and ongoing programs. • The Center is a partner in the University-wide “Wellness Works” program that promotes the well-being of the University community.